Film still of Catawba Falls from A Dream for the Future. Photo courtesy of Foothills Conservancy
By Lauren Stepp
The question “What are humans if we do not have Earth around us?” opens A Dream for the Future, the 30th anniversary documentary from Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina. The film pairs sweeping images of Western North Carolina’s mountains, farmland and forests with reflections from the people who have shaped the region’s conservation movement over the past three decades.
“We knew early on that we wanted to create a documentary to celebrate our 30th anniversary, but we intentionally left space for the film to take shape organically,” says Katherine Ehrlichman, the conservancy’s marketing and development director. “Rather than scripting the message in advance, we listened.”
That listening guided the story. As interviews with partners, supporters and landowners unfolded, a clear theme emerged—one rooted in legacy and forward momentum. The title itself grew from those conversations.
Since 1995, Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina has evolved from a small but effective land trust focused primarily on protecting the South Mountains into a regional conservation leader serving eight counties in WNC. Film offered a way to show that growth in human terms.
“Conservation is deeply human and deeply visual,” Ehrlichman says. “A traditional campaign can share milestones, but a documentary allows people to feel the impact, to see the landscapes, hear the stories and understand the generational importance of this work.”
The film follows four primary threads: the conservancy’s origin story, the evolution of its regional impact, the people and communities it serves and the long-term significance of conservation for future generations. Among those featured are founding executive director Susie Hamrick Jones, current executive director Andrew Kota, early champion Marsha Riddle, US Forest Service district ranger Nick Larson and sixth-generation farmer Stuart Beam of Beam Farms.
Film still of Lee’s One Fortune Farm from A Dream for the Future. Photo courtesy of Foothills Conservancy
This spring, A Dream for the Future begins an eight-county tour, including a Sunday, April 12, screening at Devil’s Foot Beverage Co. in Asheville. The event invites viewers not only to watch the film but to engage in conversation about the future of conservation in a region experiencing continued growth and development pressure.
The tour coincides with another public-facing effort: the second annual Earth Fest on Saturday, April 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the conservancy’s Oak Hill Community Park and Forest in Morganton.
“Earth Fest is unique because it is led by a conservation organization whose work centers on protecting land and water across our region,” says Katy Abrams, communications manager. “That grounding allows the event to move beyond awareness and create a space where celebration, education and real conservation work intersect.”
Designed as a free, family-friendly event, Earth Fest brings together more than a dozen partner organizations for hands-on activities, trail exploration and interactive environmental learning.
“For children, conservation becomes real when they can see, touch and participate,” says Abrams. “At Earth Fest, that happens through hands-on activities, nature exploration, creative play and conversations with people whose work centers on protecting the environment. Instead of learning about conservation as an abstract idea, kids have opportunities to plant, build, observe and ask questions.”
As the conservancy looks toward its next 30 years, Ehrlichman says the goal is simple: to keep people connected to the landscapes that shape life in Western North Carolina.
“Our dream,” she says, “is that Foothills Conservancy, alongside our conservation partners and fellow land trusts, will continue to protect and steward the region’s special places so future generations can experience the same beauty, clean water, working farms and outdoor recreation opportunities that define this region today.”
Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina serves eight counties in Western North Carolina, working to protect land, water and community resources. Learn more about the film tour and Earth Fest at FoothillsConservancy.org.
